God gave man work, not to burden him, but to bless him, and useful work, willingly, cheerfully, effectively done, has always been the finest expression of the human spirit.
Smith James and Horace 1775-1839 and 1779
Rejected Addresses, ‘Loyal Effusion'
God bless the Army, bless their coats of scarlet,
God bless the Navy, bless the Princess Charlotte.
Aurelius Marcus 121-180
There is no man so blessed that some who stand by his deathbed won't hail the occasion with delight.
The Bible (Authorized Version)
New Testament: St Matthew ch.5 v.3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be
comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the
earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after
righteousness: for they shall be field.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called
the children of God.
The Bible (Authorized Version)
Old Testament: Job ch.1 v.21
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away;blessed be the name of the Lord.
Eliot George 1819-1880
Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.
Huxley Aldous 1894-1963
That we are not much sicker and much madder than we are is due exclusively to that most blessed and blessing of all natural graces, sleep.
Keble John 1792-1866
The Christian Year ‘Blessed are the pure ...'
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see our God,
The secret of the Lord is theirs,
Their soul is Christ's abode.
Shakespeare William 1564-1616
The Merchant of Venice
The quality of mercy is not strained
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blessed;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
ABSE Dannie 1923-
‘Pathology of Colours'
So in the simple blessing of a rainbow,
In the bevelled adge of a sunlit mirror,
I have seen visible, Death's artifact
Like soldier's ribbon on a tunic tacked.
Bacon Francis 1561-1626
Essays ‘Of Adversity'
Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament, adversity is the blessing of the New.
Baruch Bernard 1870-1965
The greatest blessing of our democracy is freedom. But in the last analysis, our only freedom is the freedom to discipline ourselves.
Richardson Samuel 1689-1761
History of Sir Charles Grandison
A feeling heart is a blessing that no one, who has it, would be without; and it is a moral security of innocence.
Suckling John 1609-1642
‘Against Fruition'
Women enjoyed (whatsoe'er before they've been)
Are like romances read, or sights once seen: ...
‘Tis expectation makes a blessing dear;
It were not heaven, if we knew what it were.
Tallentyre S.G.
The crowning blessing of life - to be born with a bias to some pursuit.
Coolidge Susan 1945-1905
What Katy Did
Blessings brighten as they take their flight.
Ken Thomas 1637-1711
‘Evening Hymn'
All praise to thee, my God, this night,
For all the blessings of the light;
Keep me, O keep me, King of Kings,
Beneath thy own almighty wings.
Lichtenberg G.C. 1742-1799
Never undertake anything for which you wouldn't have the courage to ask the blessings of heaven.
Needham Richard J.
When a man tells me he's run out of steam in the sex department, I'll tell him, ‘Count your blessings; you've escaped from the clutches of a cruel tyrant. Enjoy!'
Paine Thomas 1737-1809
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
Tennyson Alfred Lord 1809-1892
‘The Princess'
And blessings on the falling out
That all the more endears,
When we fall out with those we love
And kiss again with tears!